Resort murder 05-24-11

Media Release

A Washington man has been arrested for murder in connection with a fatal domestic disturbance at a resort on the Kohala Coast.

At 11:18 p.m. Monday (May 23), South Kohala police responded to an emergency call at a resort on North Kaniku Drive. They learned that resort employees had received calls from guests reporting screams coming from a guest room. Resort security and staff rushed to the room, where one of them witnessed a woman inside being struck on the head with an object. The employees obtained entry into the room, called 911 and held the suspect until police arrived.

Fire Rescue personnel took the woman to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:23 a.m. Tuesday.

The victim has been identified as 44-year-old Susan Brockert of Bellevue, Washington. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

Responding officers arrested 46-year-old Philip Howard Zimmerman, also of Bellevue Washington. Zimmerman and Brockert were registered at the resort together.

Zimmerman is being held at the Kona police cellblock on suspicion of second-degree murder while detectives from the Area II Criminal Investigations Section continue the investigation.